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Camping Tips

Note: New camping tips that I have added will have a tag on it. I'll keep this tag on it for about 10-15 days. If I notice that a link has been recently update I will tag it with a tag.

Tips for staying in a pop-up with kids

Here is list of tips that will be growing over the summer

Safety first!

• Watch out for little ones in the bed popup section. Our little one almost fell out of the side when it became unvelcroed while sleeping. She's moves around quite a bit sleeping. We now put one of the couch cushions up near the head of the bed so she can't fall it. It works well!
• Bring along a First Aid Kit - You won't believe how much trouble kids (and adults) can get into. Walmart sells a specific Camping/Outdoor First Aid Kit.
• Know what poison ivy is and Stay away from it!
• Keep an eye on those little explorers (they like to wander). My son will go off in the woods to see what he can find.

• When starting be very careful using paper. Or use kindling.
• Watch your young ones near the fire. My 4 year old likes to play in the fire with his marshmellow stick after making smores.
• Keep a bucket of water and shovel near the fire.
• Never let the kids start the fire or play with matches.
• Never leave the fire unattended.
• Be very careful with sparklers! Especially the ones that shoot out. One of the kids "shooting sparklers" hit an adult this past 4th of July. Luckily no-one was hurt.

• Make sure you bring plenty of water and beverages for everyone. During the hot summer you don't want anyone getting dehydrated
• Bring sunscreen and use it
• When riding remind your children to stay within the campground and to watch out for moving vechiles.
• After removing bikes from the bike rack, collapse if possible so that no-one bangs into it 10/6/99
• When driving watch out for children!
• Shut off propane when not needed. Its amazing how long our hot water stays warm.
• Campers with babies and toddlers use the plastic electric outlet covers.
• Use a nite light. It will help you with the little ones.
• Go in groups to the restrooms. Never let your kids go alone! You never know who could be in the bathroom.
• During nite time and sleep hours know where your are.
• Make sure are definately worn when canoeing, paddle boating, or kayaking. We always bring out son's life jacket with us, even when he goes in the camps pool.

Personally we have never had any problems at campgrounds and I usually feel safe at most campgrounds. I however provided her with a few suggestions. If you have more please e-mail me!

• Keep the outside yellow bug light ON. This may deter any intruders.
• Use a night light.
• Get a . Our dog is our biggest protector. She will bark if she hears anything strange.
• Go to campgrounds that have security and stay away from campgrounds or campsites that are close to the road.
• If you are really worried about security then request a campsite that is near the restroom, lamp post, or near other people(hopefully this won't bother you sleeping either).
• Get to know your camping neighbors. Hopefully they'll keep an eye out on your camper when your not around.

• Thinking about buying

  Questions I'm asked. Here are some suggestions. Use these as a GUIDE only.

  1. Will I need a furnance? Depends on a couple of things. Do you live in the northern part of the country? Do you have small children that get sick easily? Do you like to camp during the offseaons when it is colder? If YES to any of these questions I would really consider getting a furnace. We have used ours in the off-season as well as a very wet and damp summer night.
  2. Will I need an AC? Personal preference. Where are you going to be camping? Does the heat and humidity bother you? Do you plan on spending a large amount of time in your pop-up? New England camping we have never really needed an AC. There were a few HOT days that we could of used one but 90% of our trips this year we didn't need it.
  3. Will I need a fridge? I would definately recommend it. It may not eliminate the need to bring a cooler with a larger family but is well worth it
  4. What type of dealer should I buy from? Is RV sales, parts, and service their main business? Does the dealer have a good reputation? If I need a part on a Sunday afternoon before I leave for vacation can I get it?
  5. Should I get an outside shower? If "beach camping" is your thing or if you have children that seem to get dirty every 5 minutes you may want to consider it. We used our outside shower for that only.
  6. Baby sleeping suggestion? Does the camper have enough floor room for the porta-crib?
  7. Towing Suggestions?First find out what your tow vechile can pull (tow weight). Then calculate

     total weight = camper weight + camping gear lbs + people lbs + misc lbs

     . Then

     tow weight - total weight

     and should be a positive number. Make sure you consider "extras" like a canoe, bikes, extra coolers that you might want to carry on your camper. Ask the dealer if the camper can carry those type of things.
  8. My car does have a tow?Most RV dealers should have the capability to add this to your vechile easily.
  9. Do I need a porta-potty?Again personal preference. Questions to ask yourself: Do you like primitive camping where bathrooms are rare? Do you want to make trips to the bathroom at the middle of night (with or without kids)? Do you want to clean it? We inherited one but we haven't used it yet. We usually stay at campgrounds that have water, bathrooms, and electricity. Maybe next year we'll put it to use my when my 1yr old starts potty training.
  10. Other than the pop-up what other expenses are there?Depends on what state you live in. In MA, we have to pay an initial sales tax, a yearly excise tax, and a yearly trailer registration. I would recommend buying insurance. If you have your RV dealer do it there is a winterizing fee. Its not necessary but you may want to consider buy separate necessities for your camper. See my checklist. During camping you usually have to pay more in tolls (for the extra axle) and the better sites with electricity and water will cost you a few more $$$.
• Have One
  • Make extra sets of keys for your pop-up. One of our keys broke in the slide-out and another in the shower.
  • When breaking down, never force the beds in. They should slide in nicely.
  • Always know where your wheel is and make sure it is accessible.
  • Always know where your crank is and make sure it is accessible.
  • Before leaving check your light connections.
  • When not in use take the "hitch ball" off of the car. My wife had someone rear-end her last week in our tow vechile. Luckily no-one was hurt and there very minimal damage to both cars. We were glad we took off the tow ball. There probably would of been lots more damage if the tow ball was on. 10/25/99
  • For cool nights close off the bunk-end curtains and make up any interior beds (i.e. dinnete table) to sleep on. It puts less strain on the furnace and It puts less strain on the furnace and is warmer since your not sleeping over the air like you would on the bunk-ends. 10/25/99
  • Towing Safety: After the pop-up trailer is latched onto the tow ball, before storing the dolly wheel, try raising it up off the ball with the jack. If the rear tow vehicle starts to raise up when you are jacking, you are hooked on!
  • Jayco Safety Concern: Watch out for the strings that are used to keep the day curtains up with small children. This could be a potential hanging hazard if the strings come undone.

  Winterizing your Pop-Up Camper 10/25/99

  This is the 1st time we will winterize our pop-up. If you have any tips to add here please send me e-mail. I've collected a list of tips from various newsgroups and have posted them here.

  Use these winterizing tips AT YOUR OWN RISK

  • Check out Donovan's Web Page for water system winterizing tips
  • If you don't have time to winterize you probably can have your dealer complete it for you. Our Jayco dealer charged us $50 to winterize our camper.
  • Mice protection:
    • If you don't mind the smell use mothballs inside your camper to protect from mice.
    • Dealer recommended: Store cushions inside house or garage, place moth balls around the camper outside to prevent the smell from entering the camper, and place Bounce fabric softner sheets near all openings of the camper.
    • If applicable, you may want to talk to other pop-up neighbors to see if mice problems exist in your neighborhood.
    • Place steel wool anywhere a mice may enter.
  • Remove all food. Canned food freezes and may burst open leaving a mess to deal with in the spring. Boxed food is a food source for insects, mice, etc.
  • Should I cover or not? My Jayco dealer recommended that we purchase a cover made for campers. Price tag $60. Please let me know if you agree or disagree with this.

  Organization Tips!

  Camping in a pop-up with several children can be very messy. Here is some things that we find useful (and we are still learning!)

  • Paper products seem to be easier (e.g. paper plates, cups, etc). Saves time on dishes and you can use them to help start the fire. Just make sure your awning or camper isn't close by because hot ashes from this could make holes or destroy your material.
  • Keep as much stuff as you can neatly in the car.
  • Designate your storage cabinets for certain materials (e.g. food in one, diapers in another, supplies here). Communicate with the family where things go.
  • Cook outside. I find it easier and less cluttered. Our pop-up has a section where we can hook the stove up outside. It works great!
  • We put all our personal items in a mop bucket and store it in a cabinet (i.e. shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc.)
  • Dirty laundry (our biggest problem -- here are some suggestions sent by readers)
    • Suggestion #1: Bringing a hamper and keep it on the floor during sleep hours and on the bed during wake hours -thanks Rick!
    • Suggestion #2: We bought a portable hamper at K-Mart. It has 2 round white tubular parts, and a white tubular post. The post goes in the bottom round part, which sits on the ground. It then joins into the round top part. It has a green mesh drawstring laundry bag, which is held up, like a hamper, on the framework I already described. We keep it outside, under the rear bed of our popup. You can even line the laundry bag with a plastic trash bag, and keep the top closed. That way the dirty clothes stay dry and bug free! It has eliminated dirty clothes from our popup, and the trunk of our car! - thanks Linda!
    • Suggestion #3: We found a collapsing mesh hamper that twists and folds down to nothing at Walmart. It's large enough to last a 4 day camping trip. - thanks Gary!
  • Suggestions from fellow campers:
    • Each person is given a plastic closet organizer drawer (found at Walmart) to pack with their camping clothes; etc. They are loaded in the trunk and then "stacked" in the camper forming a rather rigid bureau of drawers. If its not going in the hamper then it belongs put away in the persons drawer. We let each child decorate the front of their own drawer ! It works great! -thanks Gary!

  Games and Activities

  Our camper is stocked with fun games (listed below). We play games with the kids during rainy days or during the evening after making smores:

  • Yatzee, Boggle, UNO, Pictionary, Cards to play after the little ones are in bed with our older child
  • and Coloring books for the little ones
  • Bubbles
  • Shovel and pail
  • Plastic ball, frisbee, etc.
  • The come along too (with helmets of course)
  • We usually don't bother with rollerblades -- several NE campgrounds don't allow them and some campgrounds are not paved
  • Suggestions from fellow campers:
    • Take a plastic table cloth that fits the internal table and paint a backgammon pattern, chess pattern, cribbage board and even a trouble circle. Use a gallon size storage bag to keep the pieces and dice. The cloth also spreads out nice on a picnic table! - thanks Gary!

  With children also consider camping at a campground with Activities. We like:

  • Candy bar bingo
  • Regular bingo
  • Face painting
  • Sports activities (i.e. volleyball, softball, relay races, etc.)
  • Arts & Crafts, Ceramics
  • Scavenger Hunts
  • Hay rides
  • Socials

  Miscellaneous

  • Preparation:
    • Make your holiday weekend reservations early! Lesson learned for us. Our top 3 choices of campgrounds were all filled up when I tried to reserve two weeks before
    • With a pop-up give yourself at least 3 hours to pack. I have seen a few people pack and leave in about a 1/2 hour and then come back the next day! For us five it takes over 3 hours to pack up and down. Unpacking and setting up is about 1 hour. We go at least for 2 nites but I find that I'm just starting to get relaxed and we have to leave to go home.
    • Don't forget kids favorite toy or cuddle thing. I forgot the baby's bunny on the last trip! She had a hard time getting to sleep and hard time staying asleep. Very little sleep that weekend.
    • Don't forget fresh produce. I've found that some of the campgrounds are not located near a major supermarket. It may be quite a drive to find one. We've noticed that most camp store usually has everything but produce. Unless of course you want to wander out for hours in unknown territory (like I did).
    • Fill the car up with gas before leaving. That way you won't have to bring car and pop-up through the gas lines. On long trips this is unavoidable.
    • Have directions before you leave. Mapquest provides decent directions but you should have a backup directions in case that fails. On one trip Mapquest sent me off in the opposite direction near the end of trip. Luckily we caught on early and we were only delayed by 20 minutes.
    • Charge batteries for cell phone and cam-corder. One campgrounds electricity cause problems with our cellphone.
    • Don't forget your prescription . You need that!
    • You may consider bringing some of the basic tools . You may need to refill propane tank, fix minor problems in your pop-up, fix the kids bikes, or hammer in the stakes for the awning poles.
    • For those who camp without refrigerators (i.e. coolers), a great idea that we have been doing, is freezing one or two 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon plastic juice bottles filled with water (or juice if you like) and putting those in the coolers instead of ice packs. They usually last all weekend and you can drink the water after it melts a little. Make sure you bring unfrozen beverages, or you won't have anything to drink for a day!!! and also make sure you leave some air space so the bottle will not crack when frozen. -thanks Debbie
  • Before Leaving:
    • Make sure that directions are in the front seat with the driver or the navigator.
    • Ensure that you have Campground reservation and/or discount forms.
    • Everyone is to go the bathroom!
    • Know where snacks, beverages, bottles are located (especially if it is a long trip)
    • Let the older children know how long of a drive it is going to be.
    • If it is a long drive (5 hours or more) then leave early. Put the kids right in the car from their beds. Hopefully they will fall back to sleep.
    • Proper lockdown of house (e.g. gas is off, windows locked, etc.)
  • Arrival at Campground
    • Stick to posted speed limit. Your not on the expressway anymore.
    • Take a few minutes to figure out how you want to set up the camper. Our very 1st trip we weren't thinking. The picnic table was on one side of the camper and the fire pit on the other.
    • Make sure your camper is on your site and not the one next to you.
    • Have drinks available for all! The kids will be asking for them. Especially if it was a long haul.
    • If you have a dog, know where the dog chain is. You'll want to get her/him out of the car.
    • If you have a baby, know where the playpen is! The baby won't sit still in her car seat for that long. We set this up before anything else.
    • Go over the campground rules and make sure the kids know them.
    • Have your kids help with setup (if applicable) or have them find their marshmellow stick.
  • While Camping:
    • Camp with friends and family or make new friends. Most people that we have camped around are very friendly.
    • Be a mentor to your children. If they are interested, then show them how to set up camp. Teach them about nature. My son loves to help out when he can and my pre-teen loves to help set up the camper!
    • Don't let your children pester other campers.
    • Read your favorite book.
    • Enjoy nature. Take a short or long nature walk (bring water).
  • Baby Campers
    • Let me know if you have any suggestions for camping with a baby!
    • To get your tired baby asleep put the baby in his/her car seat and take a short drive around the campground (maybe when you go to the dump station or out for ice). I sometimes find that our very tired baby will simply fall asleep in her car seat after a few minutes without turning on or moving the mini-van. Safety first!-Make sure it is not too cold or hot in the car. I wouldn't recommend doing this in a sunny campsite or in extense heat.
    • Our baby sometimes falls asleep by taking short walk in her stroller.
    • Suggestion from a fellow camper: The best thing I came up with is taking the airplane infant swing and hanging it up with cotton rope (so not to damage the tree limb) the higher the limb the better since it is a more gentle and arcing swing. We found that even the slightest breeze with move the swing slightly and our 5 month old son slept there during the day and he also loved to just get pushed by the older two kids. He also liked playing our version of hot potato with his swing and since it was such a gentle arc the it was easy on his little stomach. try it and see if it works for you I suppose any infant safe swing will work I just like the full all around protection of the airplane swing ($20.00 @ Walmart) (cotton rope / 50' = $5.99). We used this until he outgrew the swing and I hope my daughter likes it as well. -thanks Dave C!!! Safety first!-Dave later reminded me to be very selective of the branch that you choose!
    • Use a portable play pen and covered it with bug netting that has a elastic band around the bottom. Bring your babies toys and hopefully he/she will be as happy as could be. Many playpens have four sides that are made out of mesh so a good breeze goes through -thanks Dave C!!!
    • A baby just beginning to walk is going to get dirty fast! Bring extra clothes and have the wash cloth, soap, and water available. Consider getting a grassy site vs. a dirt site.
    • Use playtex bottle bags vs. having to wash bottles.
    • Bring baby blanky or teddy bear. Maybe you can have one just for the camper.
    • For older babies... get a portable baby chair and hook on to the end of the picnic table. Makes the baby feel part of the family at dinner time.
    • Always buckle your baby into his stroller, chair, etc.
    • Baby Checklist

    Meal Time Suggestions 8/31/99

    One of our favorite times of the day is when were eating. Depending on what we are doing we may sometimes end up eating probably twice as much but then again we are usually twice as busy. I think the last 7 day vacation we brought home more food than we brought up so that is not always true. Here are a few tips about meal time and snack time.

    Also check out the Camping Cooking links to other sites. 10/15/99

    • Drink bottled water. Our family has had all sorts of intestinal problems when drinking some campgrounds water.
    • Know how much your kids can drink. Our pre-teen can chug down a can of soda with no problem but our son will only drink 1/3 of it and the rest collects bugs. For the young ones we get a bottle of juice and serve it in paper cups. Update- My sister-in-law introduced us to McCain's Junior Juice boxes. We find that this is the right amount for our 4 year old and our toddler likes it too. Plus it is 100% juice.
    • The is nice for some things but I recommend a portable propane grill to cook hotdogs, chicken, steak, hamburgers, etc. It tastes MUCH better!
    • If you like them... sautee up some onions to top your hamburgers and hotdogs
    • Don't forget the smores! Cooked marshmellow, fit between 2 graham crackers and hershey chocolate. We have contests to see who makes the best smore. I'm the judge.
    • Bring more food than needed if you don't like making frequent trips to the supermarket. If space is tight you'll probably want to go shopping after setup.
    • When cooking try to make enough so that you don't have to store left overs.
    • Cook outside of the pop-up if at all possible. Our stove is nicely positioned next to the door and under the awning so we can cook outside.

    Here is our typical weekend dinner menu

    The first nite it is usually something simple like hotdogs or hamburgers (for camping I tend to buy the pre-made hamburgers - first it is easier and secondly it is probably more sanitary than hand forming patties.

    1st nite: , Macaroni & Cheese, Sliced Tomato, Sauteed Onions

    2nd nite: Steak or BBQ Chicken, Garden Salad, Rice, and corn

    Other Suggestions:

    • Baked Potatoes - Fork and wrap your potatoes in aluminum foil. We have a grill that fits over the fire ring that we put them on. We leave them on for about an hour and turn them every 10-15 minutes. They taste great with a little bit of sour cream. Some people add seasoning and even bacon to them.
    • Tacos - Extra sour cream left over from your potatoes? Why not make tacos or soft tacos. You could probably heat up the tortillas on the grill the same way as the potatoes. We've never had them camping but I've heard of many people preparing this meal.
    • Lemon Pepper Chicken - We use the marinating sauce we find in the supermarket. Our favorite new meal for 1999 at home as well as camping.
    • Shis-ka-bobs - We marinate our steak in teriyaki and cook it along with tomatoes, peppers, and onions.
    • Grilled Cheese - If our bread survives the trip and we want something easy we'll have grilled cheese and soup.
    • Ham Steak - Cooked on the grill with a brown sugar glaze is a favorite. We usually have beans or rice with this.
    • Corn on the Cob - I'll try to find some fire recipes and put them here. Our stove in our pop-up works great cooking this.
    • Lobster & Steamers - Never had it or attempted to make it but while camping in Maine several fellow pop-up campers were enjoying this feast.

    Breakfast:

    • Cereal, pop-tarts, donuts, muffins, etc. are great when the campground requires an early checkout or your'e in a hurry to be at your next activity.
    • Bacon and eggs taste great with morning coffee and hot chocolate. Our 1st camp trip we kept it simple (muffins) however we were longing for bacon & eggs because the entire campground had that good morning aroma.
    • During blueberry season make some blueberry pancakes with bacon or sausage
    • M&M pancakes for the kids.
    • Don't forget the OJ

    Family Time Suggestions

    • Be patient with your children... This may be new for them too!
    • Enjoy the and stars... discuss the constellation with the kids... your pre-teens or teens may surprise you on what the know...
    • Always have smores and let your kids cook one for you (if you don't cook them yourself). My preteen always tries to make the very BEST one she can for me.
    • Play games with the kids
    • Take the little ones on a wagon ride
    • Take your kids to the playground
    • Take your kids to the pool or beach
    • Ride your bike with the kids
    • Try to get some quiet time with you and your wife or husband (after the children go to bed or while they are at a supervised play activity).
    • Take family walks.
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    Tips visitor

    since 11 August 1999

    Updated: 25 October 1999